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Chapter 2: Scenario Info
CHAPTER 2 Scenario Info: Sulla’s Legacy This chapter will give you an overview of the events leading up to the start of our game, along with an introduction to some of the key historical figures involved. 2.1 THE ROMAN WORLD OF THE FIRST CENTURY BC Rome had long ago ejected the last Tarquin king from Rome. For several centuries, Romans had made good on their solemn oath to never again be the subject of a tyrant Rex. The Republic was founded on the principle that Romans would be governed not by kings, but by the Senate and People, guided by the Mos Maiorum (the ―Way of the Elders,‖ a defining set of principles and traditions which served as their unwritten constitution). Under the Mos Maiorum, no one man was ever to raise himself above his peers. A particularly prominent individual might become, in effect, ―The First Man in Rome,‖ but it was always understood that this was nothing more than to be ―first among equals.‖ Easier said than done, perhaps! The system made Rome great because it encouraged great men to do great things. Great Men doing Great Things usually have Great Egos as well, and when multiple Great Men are doing multiple Great Things, it‘s inevitable that their multiple Great Egos are going to cause trouble. Big trouble. The First Century BC was a time of giants for the Roman Republic. It was also a time of great peril. And during times of great peril, when the very survival of the Republic was threatened, the Mos Maiorum provided for the appointment of a Dictator. This was not a Dictator in the modern (Mussolini, Stalin, etc.) sense of the word; far from it. It was a constitutional office of set duration (usually only 6 months), established to deal with a set problem, such as ejecting Hannibal from Italy. Ah, but then there was Sulla. Lucius Cornelius Sulla, a man whose incredible run of luck earned him the nickname ―Felix.‖ A great and ambitious man. And a dangerous man. When pushed too far and too hard by his political rivals, he turned on the Senate, marching on Rome ―in order to save her from tyrants.‖ At sword point, the Senate was forced to name him Dictator with the incredibly broad task of ―Writing Laws and Organizing the State.‖ The term of office was indefinite. What resulted was the Regnum Sullanum, the ―royal reign of Sulla.‖ During that time, Sulla‘s word was, quite literally, law. The power of the Tribunate, and thus the power of the People, was greatly curtailed. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of prominent Romans were proscribed (essentially legalized murder), their properties confiscated. When Sulla finally departed the scene, the Republic had been changed dramatically. 2.2 LUCIUS CORNELIUS SULLA: WHO WAS HE? Lucius Cornelius Sulla ―Felix‖ was a patrician from an ancient and famous Roman house fallen on hard times. He emerged as an officer under the great military man Gaius Marius in the wars against Jugurtha of Numidia and the German barbarians (between 107-100 BC). He made a name for himself commanding Roman forces in the southern theater of the Social War (a civil war with Rome‘s Italian allies 91-88 BC), and was rewarded with the consulship in 88 BC. He became notorious for turning his armies against his political opponents, and became infamous for marching on Rome herself with an army under his command, for the purpose of intimidating the Senate. He was also the first to institute proscriptions (see glossary). His ―enhanced‖ version of the dictatorship departed from the traditional Roman constitutional office, making it something very much akin to our notion of a modern dictatorship. He did, however, voluntarily give up the dictatorship once he felt that his mission of reforming the Roman Republic along very conservative (read ―reactionary‖) lines. He retired to private life in 79 BC, where he pursued a life of complete debauchery until his death the next year. As a person, Lucius Cornelius Sulla was ―an odd mix of mediocrity and brilliance, indolence and action, and placidity and viciousness; he may have been a sociopath.‖1 2.2.1 Sulla’s Life & Times Some years earlier, social upheavals had begun to transform Roman society. Historians would later call this period ―the Roman Revolution.‖ Although the Romans themselves, of course, would never have used the term, it is an accurate description of what was going on. Rome‘s rapid rise to wealth and power after the defeat of Carthage had brought prosperity to the Republic, but problems as well. The yeoman farmer, long the backbone of both the Roman economy and the Roman war machine, had been away on campaign for so long, fighting so many wars, that their farmsteads fell into disrepair. That, along with the massive influx of slaves from conquered lands brought about some fundamental shifts in agriculture. The small farm holdings began to disappear, replaced by giant farming estates called latifundiae, which employed gangs of slaves and were owned by men of wealth. The displaced farmers found themselves flocking to the City, where they joined the swelling ranks of the Capeti Censi, or Head Count (affectionately known as ―the mob‖). That set the stage for two very controversial reformers: Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus. The Gracchi, as they were known, set about on a series of agrarian reforms that were well-intentioned enough, though they still both ended up being murdered for their troubles. The methods they used in their attempts to pass this legislation, however, had a very destabilizing effect on Roman politics and Roman society. The Head Count began to be used, rather cynically, as a political tool of the elites. What was worse, intimidation, violence and outright murder began to be gradually accepted as viable tools for achieving one‘s political ends. Sulla was a young man during this time of upheaval associated with the Gracchi; perhaps it was then that he began forming opinions which would eventually lead to his reactionary rule as dictator. 1 Garrett G. Fagan, ―The History of Ancient Rome‖ Sulla hadn‘t made much of himself politically until he associated himself with the other giant of the time, Gaius Marius. Marius was Plebeian with no distinguished ancestry whatsoever. What Marius had going for himself, however, was a brilliant military mind. He had quit a reputation as a Vir Militaris (a ―Military Man‘). Sulla served as Quaestor under Marius during the war with Jugurtha of Numidia (111-105 BC). Marius defeated Numidia, but it was Sulla who actually captured the Numidian king. Marius and Sulla seemed to get on pretty well together, but Marius failed to give Sulla proper credit for his exploits in the war. This was the beginning of trouble. About the time that the Jugurthine War was winding down, trouble began brewing up north. The Teutones and Cimbri, two Germanic tribes crossed the Alps into the Roman province of Cisalpine Gaul. The Germans slaughtered the Roman armies sent to stop them, completely wiping out an army led by one of the two Consuls for the year 105 BC. Fearful that Rome herself was in danger of being sacked, the Senate turned to Marius, and he successfully defeated the German threat. By 100 BC, Marius was the undisputed First Man in Rome, and was holding his sixth Consulship. A far better general than politician, however, Marius suffered several humiliating setbacks as Consul that year, and he retired to private life. During the ‗90‘s BC, a long-standing problem with the Italian allies (called the Socii) simmered over. The Socii wanted some form of Roman citizenship, but conservative Senators wouldn‘t hear of such a thing. Things boiled over, and in 91 BC open civil war broke out. Called the Social War, it was anything but that, lasting until 88 BC. Like all civil wars, it was brutal. During the course of the Social War, Marius would emerge from retirement to command Roman forces in Italia‘s north, while Sulla (now holding the office of Propraetor) commanded the armies in the south. This was to be the last time Marius and Sulla cooperated in any way. Following the war‘s end, their enmity would soon lead to another civil war. When the Mithridatic War broke out (88 BC), the Senate appointed Sulla (who was now Consul) as commander of the forces to be sent east to fight Pontus. At Marius‘ urging, however, a Tribune put a bill before the people to make Marius the commander instead. That was the final straw as far as Sulla was concerned, and he took his forces, which he had been training in Italy, and marched upon Rome. ―Although Sulla was trying to reinforce a traditional government rather than overthrow it, he had carried out the single most revolutionary act in Roman history to that time: he had marched a Roman army against Romans.‖2 Sulla forced Marius into exile, and was free to pursue his war in the East. While he was gone, Marius returned to Rome, joining forces with an anti-Sullan Consul named Lucius Cornelius Cinna. Now, it was Marius who marched on Rome, continuing the dangerous precedent begun by Sulla. Sulla returned from the Mithridatic War in 83 BC, and when he arrived in Italy, he marched on Rome, and seized power as Dictator. 2.3 THE SULLAN REFORMS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE GAME During his dictatorship, Sulla succeeded in rolling back many of the changes which had ―liberalized‖ Roman politics over the previous several decades. We won‘t go into all of them here, but we‘ll give you a quick rundown of those reforms that have a direct impact on how we‘ll play the game: 1. Sulla has emasculated the Tribunate (see Chapter 5 for a description of the office of Tribune of the Plebs). Tribunes are not permitted to propose new legislation, either in the 2 Fagan, ―The History of Ancient Rome‖ Gaius Marius, Vir Militaris and Seven-Time Consul of the Roman Republic. Senate or the Assembly. Being a Tribune is a dead-end job: Ex-tribunes are barred from holding higher office. This means that if you choose to stand for election as Tribune of the Plebs, that will be the first, last, and only office on the Cursus Honorum you‘ll ever hold! 2. The Assemblies are weakened. Plebiscites (votes of the Plebs) are subject to Senatorial veto. 3. Sulla has “reformed” the Senate. Translation: He‘s packed it with pro-Sullan reactionaries. He has also made the requirements for entrance into the Senate much more stringent. (See Chapter 5 to find out what that means for players.) Furthermore, he has increased total Senate membership. (In the game we make the roster at 400, with 300 of those men placed in NPC voting blocks. That means at game start, a player‘s influence on the Senate is diluted…just the way Sulla would want it!) 4. The Proscriptions. Not exactly a ―reform‖ in any sense of the word, but Sulla‘s hand upon the tiller of the Ship of State was a bloody one. Many former prominent men of Senatorial rank have been liquidated, their estates confiscated, their families disgraced. Many have suffered, but many have also profited from this, including one Marcus Licinius Crassus, who has become very wealthy indeed through the purchase of ―proscribed‖ estates at bargain-basement prices. And indeed, the Sullan Proscriptions may have a direct effect on your player character as well (see Chapter 4 for details). These conditions will override the normal function of magistracies at game start, and will definitely color the political landscape. Depending on how players proceed during gameplay, some or all of these ―reforms‖ may, in time, be undone. 2.4 OTHER KEY FIGURES Here is a quick rundown on other historical figures which will be important for you to know. Some of these men are already dead when our game commences, but you will hear them referred to often. Others are just beginning to come to prominence. Historical figures who are alive at the time our game begins will be utilized as Arbiter-Controlled NPCs (AC-NPCs). Gaius Marius (157-86 BC) Gaius Marius held the Consulship seven (yes, 7!) times, unprecedented in Roman history. Initially he and Sulla may have been friends of sorts, but their growing rivalry became embittered to the point of civil war. The most famous Novus Homo (New Man) of his generation, his meteoric rise to power was the result of Marius‘ reputation as a Vir Militaris. He gained prominence in the Jugurthine War (111-105 BC), where a young Sulla served as his Quaestor. The Senate, panicked by the news that a two entire Roman armies had been annihilated by invading Germans, once more called upon Marius to turn back the invading hordes. This he did, brilliantly, at the Battle of Aquae Sextae in 102 BC. Marius returned from his Germanic campaign in triumph once again. First hailed as the 3rd founder of Rome (Romulus was first of course, followed by Marcus Furius Camillus of the 'conquest of Veii' fame), and savior of the city, his success would be short lived. Elected to his 5th straight, and 6th overall Consulship in 100 BC, he was proven to be out of his element without a war to fight. To appease his army, and of course to secure political support through their loyalty, Quintus Sertorius, Rebel Roman General. Marius made unauthorized grants of citizenship to the Italian allied soldiers fighting for him. He then further pushed the Senate by demanding colonization and settlement rights for his large body of veterans. This strategy, under normal circumstances, would've been shot down immediately, but in this age of political turmoil, anything was possible. Using a popular and outspoken Tribune, Saturninus, Marius pushed through these proposals and others like it through the use of the citizen assemblies, mob tactics and open street violence. Saturninus used Marius to climb the political ladder, while Marius used Saturninus to push through his popular agenda, ripping apart the status quo and tearing down the traditions of Roman politics.3 Saturninus would soon go completely out of control, and Marius would be forced to put down riots caused by Saturninus in 100 BC. Marius ended this consulship, looking pretty much like a political chump. Marius retired to private life, but was called to service once more to command forces during the Social War (91-88 BC). When Sulla marched on Rome, his legions battled in the streets of the city against what forces Marius could scrape together. Marius was vanquished and exiled to Carthage. In 87 BC, Marius returned to Rome, joining forces with the rebel Consul Cinna. Marius, who by now was old and quite possibly suffering from some form of dementia, wreaked havoc on the City, murdering many Sullan supporters. To his credit, Cinna intervened and stopped the butchery.4 Marius declared himself Consul (his seventh term), but died a few days after taking office. It‘s important to mention this about Marius as well: His legionary reforms professionalized the Roman Army. Standing legions remained in service year after year. The adaptation of legionary standards (the Eagles) promoted esprit de corps and competition among the legions, creating a reputation for military excellence that echoes down to our present day. Lucius Cornelius Cinna (d. 84 BC) Cinna (a patrician) was a four-time consul of the Roman Republic, serving four consecutive terms. Cinna's influence in Rome exacerbated the tensions which existed between Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla. After the death of Marius, he became the leading power in Rome until his own death. His main impact upon Roman politics was his ability to veil his tyranny and make it appear that he was working under a constitutional government.5 Quintus Sertorius (b. 123 BC) Born in the Sabine town of Nussa, Quintus Sertorius distinguished himself under Marius in the campaign against the Germans around 105 BC. He later served as military tribune in Spain, gaining public recognition when he recaptured the city of Castulo the same night it was taken from a negligent Roman garrison. His fame in the Spains grew when he captured the city of Oritana. During the Social War, Sertorius took a wound which resulted in the loss of one eye. 3 www.unrvhistory.com 4 Fagan 5 Wikipedia (I know, not the most scholarly source out there, but hey, we‘re playing a game here, not writing a thesis!) Marcus Licinius Crassus (as portrayed by Sir. Laurence Olivier) M. Aemilius Lepidus, Proconsul (and..?) Feeling that his political career was being hindered by Sulla (whom he blamed for losing his bid to be elected Tribune), he sided with the Marians in the dispute over whether Marius or Sulla should command the war against Mithridates in the East. Sertorius threw his lot in with the Marians and the renegade Counsul Cinna, and eventually found himself once more in the Spains, involved with the far-ranging civil war. Although the Marians had eventually been defeated, Sertorius fought on. The Lusitanians (around modern Portugal) asked him to lead them in their struggle against the occupying Roman forces in Spain. He crossed over into Spain with 2600 Romans and 700 soldiers from North Africa. Some 4000 foot-soldiers and 700 horsemen from the locals joined Sertorius' forces. One of Sertorius' attractions for them was his pet white fawn, which he claimed was a gift from the goddess Diana, saying that the information he actually received from spies was revealed to him by the fawn.6 When our scenario begins, Quintus Sertorius is firmly in control of the majority of the Iberian peninsula. He has set up a sort of ―anti-Rome,‖ complete with a republican government modeled on the Roman original. Is his intent to build strength, eventually leading his ―government in exile‖ in a bid to retake Rome herself? That‘s the kind of thing that can be of concern to the real Roman Senate, of course, and there‘s building momentum to grant Gnaeus Pompeius a commission to deal with Sertorius once and for all. Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (b. 120 BC) One of the two Consuls for the Year AUC 675 (78 BC). As our game begins, Lepidus, who is by all rights a very reactionary pro-Sullan, has been granted the province of Cisalpine Gaul to govern as Proconsul following his term in office. Gnaeus Pompeius supported Lepidus in his bid for the consulship, and Lepidus of course likewise supported Pompey as commander against Sertorius in the Spains. As the old Latin proverb goes, ―Manus Manum Lavat‖ (one hand washes the other)… The odd thing is this: although Lepidus appears every bit as reactionary as his Consular colleague Quintus Lutatius Catalus Capitolinus, Lepidus is beginning to behave in an odd, almost popularist (!) manner. That could spell trouble… Marcus Crassus (b. 115 BC) The Donald Trump of the ancient world, Marcus Licinius Crassus made his money the old-fashioned way: he stole it! Though, as Crassus himself would no doubt demur, ―stealing‖ is such an ugly term! Much of Crassus‘ wealth came from snapping up huge estates confiscated from pro-Marians during the Sullan proscriptions. Crassus kept much of the land for himself, but what he didn‘t keep he chose to liquidate, selling bargain(but still quite profitable) prices to fellow entrepreneurs and newly-wealthy Romans. Another money-making scam involves his ―fire brigades.‖ He has specially-trained (but still expendable) cadres of slaves who are adept at fighting fires. Rome is a city of wooden buildings, and every so 6 www.ancienthistory.about.com Mithridates VI often, one of them catches fire. Shortly after the smoke starts curling skyward, who shows up but Crassus and his fire-fighting slave gangs? He offers to buy the building from the distraught owner at a bargain basement price, mere farthings on the denarius. If the owner agrees, Crassus pays off the owner while his slaves go into action. Within a few minutes, Marcus Crassus is the proud owner of yet another piece of (slightly singed but entirely serviceable) real estate. If he owner refuses to sell, well the flames will do what flames will do… In our Game, Marcus Licinius Crassus is the most powerful man in Rome. He serves as one of our NPC bankers. He‘ll loan you money at a fair interest rate, probably well below the prevailing rate in fact. The ―interest‖ which Crassus will extract from you will come in other forms. Players are more than welcome to seek out a loan from Crassus, but beware of unintended consequences…! Gnaeus Pompeius “Magnus” (b. 106 BC) Born of a prominent Picene family, Gnaeus Pompieus (Pompey) was the son of a military man, and a brilliant general himself. Brash and self-confident, he entered into the civil war as an ally of Sulla in 83 BC. It was said that Pompey was the only man Sulla would rise from his chair for upon entering the room, and it was Sulla who gave Pompey the cognomen ―Magnus‖ (―the Great‖),though perhaps it was tongue-in-cheek. Did we mention that Pompey was brash? A young Pompey was once reputed to have said of himself to Sulla, ―More people worship the rising sun than the setting sun.‖ Brash indeed! When our game opens, Pompeius is leading a Roman army in the Spains, fighting against the renegade Roman general Quintus Sertorius. Spartacus Word on the street that the owner of a ludus (a gladiator training school) in Capua has been bragging about a particularly talented fighter he owns, a Thracian by the name of ―Spartacus.‖ Perhaps some day he‘ll even fight in Rome! Mithridates Mithridates VI ―Eupator‖ was king of Pontus in northern Anatolia (now Turkey) from about 120 BC to 63 BC. Taking advantage of Rome‘s internal political squabbling, he launched a series of wars in Anatolia (known at the Mithridatic Wars) with the goal of ejecting Rome from the region. The first campaign (88-83 BC) was indecisive. Sulla found himself hampered by political trouble at home, and he was forced to conclude a less than satisfactory peace with Mithridates. The Pontic king had ordered the mass murder of over 80,000 Romans and Italians living in Anatolia during the course of the war, and this atrocity (known as the ―Asiatic Vespers‖) has yet to be fully avenged as our game begins… And your point is…? Why do you need to know about these people? Well, you‟ll probably hear other players refer to them in their speeches and posts. You can make your own inputs to the game more interesting by using this stuff as handy reference material. Marcus Tullius Cicero (b. 106 BC) Marcus Tullius Cicero was one of the most influential players in the period of Rome's late Republic. He was a conservative statesman, politician, lawyer and general defender of Republican principals. Generally regarded as the greatest orator in the history of the world, he is a young man aged 28. He published his first work, De Inventione Rhetorica, about eight years before our game commences. Players may encounter Cicero in the courts. Fair warning: if you go up against Cicero in one of your court cases, best be advised to bring your ―A-Game.‖ Gaius Julius Caesar (b. 100 BC) When our game commences in 78 BC, Gaius Julius Caesar is a young man of 22 years. Born into an ancient but sidelined patrician family, Caesar possessed remarkable intellectual talents and charisma. Caesar‘s family was linked to both Marius and Sulla in our scenario, but the political climate was dangerous enough that when our game begins, young Caesar is somewhere in the East, presumably out of the reach of Sulla‘s agents. 2.5 CHRONOLOGY The table below constitutes our ―official‖ chronology for the game. You‘ll find many more events of note from Roman history on the web. (We recommend the site unv.com, the source for most of these entries.) This timeline will give you a working frame of reference for our game. Dates are given both in the familiar years BC, and Ab Urbe Condita (AUC), years from the founding of Rome. Date BC/AUC Event Remarks 753/0 Rome Founded ―Ab Urbe Condita‖ 509/244 Tarquinii Kings Thrown Out Founding of the Republic 494/259 First disputes between Plebeians and Patricians This set the stage for the long-running ―Struggle of the Orders.‖ To this day, Patricians and Plebeians are very careful to remind you ―who‘s who.‖ 450/303 12 Tables Beginnings of Roman Law 390/363 Gauls sack Rome Very Traumatic 282/471 Wars with Pyrrhus Ends 272 BC 265/488 Conquest of Italia complete 264/489 First Punic War Ends 241 BC 218/535 Second Punic War (Hannibal) Ends 201 BC 149/604 Third (final) Macedonian War Also, Third Punic War 146/607 Carthage Destroyed Roman prosperity skyrockets. Wealth pours into Rome, along with slaves. Agrarian lifestyle of modest Roman citizens begins to deteriorate. Landless Romans flock to the City; ranks of the ―headcount‖ (landless urban masses) begins to swell. This is the beginning of social upheaval. 146/607 Temple of Jupiter Stator First all-marble Roman Temple, a sign of Rome‘s expanding wealth and power. Date BC/AUC Event Remarks 135/618 First Servile War Slave Revolt. May become a recurring theme… 133/620 Death of Tiberius Gracchus As Tribune of the Plebs, Ti. Gracchus proposed sweeping land reforms. Roman society polarized; his actions also caused riots and marked the beginning of the use of violence as a political tool. 129/624 Roman Expansion Rome annexes the provinces of Asia and Illyrium 123/630 Ordo Equester Tribune Gaius Gracchus (brother of slain Tiberius) passes Lex which makes the Knight Businessmen (the Ordo Equester) a separate order from the Senatorial Class. 121/632 Death of Gaius Gracchus Like his brother before him, Tribune Gaius Gracchus meets a violent end. Although many of the radical reforms of the Brothers Gracchi get undone, they have set in motion what later historians would call ―The Roman Revolution.‖ This ―revolution‖ (the Romans themselves probably had no idea they were in the middle of a revolution) would end with the death of the Republic, the death of Julius Caesar, and the establishment of the Principiate under Octavius Augustus Caesar. In the ―Legacy of Sulla‖ game, of course, history may take a different turn or two… 112/641 Jugurthine War The war with King Jugurtha of Numidia would last until 106 BC. The conflict would serve to catapult both Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelia Sulla to political prominence. 107/646 First Consulship of Marius Gaius Marius is elected Consul on the promise that he would handle the Numidian problem; he is given command of Roman forces in the war against Jugurtha 106/647 Sulla captures Jugurtha Lucius Cornelius Sulla, a promising quaestor serving under Marius, executes a brilliant plan to capture King Jugurtha. The plan succeeds, the war ends, and Jugurtha marches in Marius‘ triumphal procession. Marius fails to give due credit to Sulla, and this marks the beginning of what would become serious trouble. 101/652 Marian Legionary Reforms The legionary reforms begun by Marius are completed this year. 102/651 Germanic Invasion Germanic hordes spill into Cisalpine Gaul in 103. Marius defeats the Teutones at the Battle of Aquae Sextae in 102. Hailed as ―the Third Founder of Rome,‖ his popularity with the Roman people reaches its zenith. 100/653 Riots of Saturninus Popular demagogue Saturninus (once a political ally of Marius) incites rioting in Rome. Marius is forced to put down the riots, being embarrassed politically in the process. 95/658 Growing Italian Unrest The Italian Allies (the Socii) are growing increasingly restive. They fought side-by-side with the Romans, bleed side-by-side, yet share in none of the benefits of Roman citizenship. Various Roman politicians call for some sort of Italian enfranchisement, but their efforts are resoundingly blocked and rejected by the Senate. 91/662 Social War The Socii finally revolt. Roman citizens are massacred in Asculum, and the city prepares for the eventual Roman counter attack. The conflict will continue until 88 BC. Date BC/AUC Event Remarks 90/663 Lex Julia de Civitate The Consul Lucius Julius Caesar passes the Lex Julia de Civitate et Sociis Danda, which grants citizenship to those Italians who have not taken up arms against Rome. 89/664 Sulla captures Bovianum Both Marius and Sulla have commissions in the Social War. Marius operates in northern Italia, while Sulla campaigns in the south. 89/664 First Mithridatic War Mithridates VI of Pontus attacks Roman allies and interests in Anatolia (modern Turkey). He is intent on ending Roman influence in the East once and for all. 88/665 Silo Defeated Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius defeats the Italian army under Silo. The Social War ends. 88/665 Consulship of Sulla Sulla is Consul. When news arrives of Pontic atrocities (see below), Sulla prepares a Consular Army for campaign in the East. 88/665 Night of the Asiatic Vespers Mithridates invades Greece in an attempt to spark a pan-Hellenic revolt in the East. He orders the slaughter of all Romans and Italians in regions under his control. Some accounts indicate that over 100,000 die. Although the First Mithridatic War will end in 84 BC, this won‘t be the last conflict with Pontus. As ―The Legacy of Sulla‖ begins, Mithridates is very much a major threat to Roman security. 88/665 ―Marian Monkeybusiness‖ By now, Marius are bitter political rivals, insanely jealous of each other. While Sulla is training his army, Marius engages in a cunning (but low) political maneuver, and uses his still substantial popularity with the Plebs to get himself voted in as commander of the Roman expedition to Pontus, effectively stripping the Consul Sulla of command. Sulla simply won‘t stand for it… 88/665 Sulla Marches on Rome An action unprecedented in the entire history of the Republic! Sulla takes his army, and marches upon his own capital. Many of his officers flatly refuse to engage in what they consider illegal and completely against the Mos Maoirum. Sulla is undeterred. He assaults Rome and captures the city. He portrays himself as the victim of Marius' intrigue against his rightful command and gives Rome a first glimpse of the future dictatorship of Sulla. He declared Marius and his followers as outlaws and enemies of the Roman state. Marius barely escapes with his life to Africa. 87/666 Marius Marches on Rome Sulla departs for the East, and Marius returns to Italia. Rome with L. Cornelius Cinna, and after a short battle, he occupied Rome. Marius and Cinna are made joint consuls. Marius, possibly rendered mentally ill after a series of strokes, orders proscriptions against Sulla's supporters. 86/667 Death of Marius Marius died of a third and fatal stroke in 86, a few weeks into his seventh consulship. 86/667 Sulla Defeats Mithridates Sulla conquers Athens, defeat Mithridates armies at Chaeronea and Orchomenus. He still has some mopping up to do in the East, but rest assured that when he finally returns to Rome, he will be in a rather nasty mood. 83/670 Sulla Lands in Italy War Erupts in East Sulla and his army return to Italia, intent on crushing the Marians once and for all. The governor of Hispania, one Marcus Licinius Crassus, joins forces with Sulla. Meanwhile, war with Pontus has broken out again. 82/671 Roman Civil War drags on Sulla and Marian general Gnaeus Papirius Carbo clash at the Clusium; the results are inconclusive. 82/671 Defeat of the Marians Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius defeats Carbo. Sulla is victorious at the battle of the Coline Gate at Rome. Date BC/AUC Event Remarks 81/672 Sulla Dictator Sulla is appointed Dictator by the Senate. (At this point, the Senate had little other choice.) 81/672 Proscriptions The Regnum Sullanum (―the Royal Reign of Sulla‖) is marked by proscriptions in a rein of terror which shook Roman society to its very core. 80/673 Sertorian War Begins Quintus Sertorius, one of the remaining Marian generals, is in open revolt, and sets up what amounts to an ―Anti-Rome‖ in the Spains. 80/673 Cicero M. Tullus Cicero, a young advocate, wins his first major case defending Sex. Roscius against the proscriptions of Sulla. 79/674 Nola Destroyed Nola, an Italian city which had been one of the last strongholds of the Marians, is burnt to the ground. 79/674 Sulla Resign & Retires Sulla resigns his Dictatorship, and retires to a life of debauchery. He has left the Senate packed with supporters. 78/675 Sulla dies. Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix dies in a villa outside the city of Puteoli. 78 BC 675 AUC Let the games begin… And this is where our scenario starts:  Sulla Dictator is dead. Although Sulla is gone, the Senate is firmly in the hands of Sullan sympathizers and/or sycophants.  Catulus and Lepidus are Consuls for the Year 675. Lepidus has been granted the Proconsulship of Cisalpine Gaul (Gaul this side of the Alps) when his term ends in 676.  The Senate and People are at each other's throats. The former want to preserve what Sulla had gifted them while the latter want to restore the correct form of the Republic.  Consul Lepidus has pledged to repeal all Sullan Laws. How far is he determined to go?  Consul Catulus is the front figure of Sullan supporters. He hails great respect in the House itself and can muster Sulla's veterans to his side.  Sertorius is firmly in control of the Spains. The Senate, when next it convenes, will take up the matter of whether or not to appoint the young and capable general Gnaeus Pompeius to head Roman efforts to expel Sertorius.  Marcus Crassus has grown rich and powerful during the previous years, and he is intent on growing even more so.  Marcus Cicero hopes to continue his career in the courts in preparation for ascending the Cursus Honorum once he reaches his thirtieth birthday.  Young Gaius Julius Caesar, a man with close ties to both Marius and Sulla, has survived the proscriptions. His ambitions are boundless. He is planning an extended trip to the East, where he hopes to find adventure and glory.  Mithridates concluded a peace treaty with Sulla, but the peace is a shaky one at best. Sulla may be dead, but the ambitions of Mithridates VI Eupator are still very much alive.  Loans have been running low lately and farmers are suffering from the recession. What's more, the Sullan veterans are trying to make a living out of scraps but they find their hopes frustrated at every turn. How much can a man lose before he picks up the scutum and gladius again?  The Senate has been decimated and now is run by a mix of Plebeian up-and-comers and Knights. The aristocracy is the minority of the House but still commands respect and authority due to their legacy. Will things come around for the Second Class at last? A fiscal embarrassment is everyone's who's anyone worst nightmare. At the time being the Senate has no Censors in office, since Sulla has abolished the institution, but there's being talk of restoring them. There's also a lot of talk that many above reproach Senators are only in the Senate due to their money-lenders largesse. Will we see political careers terminated and hopes frustrated? 2.5.1 Using the Timeline Use the timeline as a quick reference to key events that ―got us where we are today.‖ It lays out the course of the troubles which resulted in Sulla‘s dictatorship. It also can be a handy source for historical tidbits which will spice up the quality of your posts. (Example: you’re arguing a case in the courts, and you consult this chart, noting the date which the Twelve Tables of Roman Law were written. You use this info in your courtroom post, beginning your argument with “Quirites, fellow Romans! Never since the day our Twelve Tables were finalized in AUC 303, has there been such an egregious assault upon Roman sensibilities as was made by the accused…”) The Legacy of Sulla © Copyright 2011 Jim Sebastian